Actual vs. Potential: What's the Difference?

Relating to a person's acts or deeds; active, practical

Capable of being but not yet in existence; latent or undeveloped

Existing in reality, not just potentially; really acted or acting; occurring in fact.

(Grammar) Of, relating to, or being a verbal construction with auxiliaries such as may or can; for example, it may snow.

In action at the time being; now existing; current.

The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or future success

Used as intensifier to emphasise a following noun; exact, specific, very.

The possibility that something might happen or result from given conditions

An actual, real one; notably:

See electric potential.

(finance) something actually received; real receipts, as distinct from estimated ones.

See gravitational potential.

(military) a radio callsign modifier that specifies the commanding officer of the unit or asset denoted by the remainder of the callsign and not the officer's assistant or other designee.

See magnetic potential.

(uncountable) Reality, usually with the definite article.

(Grammar) A potential verb form.

Involving or comprising action; active.

Currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to)

Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; - opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, conceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion.

(physics) The gravitational potential: the radial (irrotational, static) component of a gravitational field, also known as the Newtonian potential or the gravitoelectric field.

In action at the time being; now exiting; present; as the actual situation of the country.

(physics) The work (energy) required to move a reference particle from a reference location to a specified location in the presence of a force field, for example to bring a unit positive electric charge from an infinite distance to a specified point against an electric field.

Something actually received; real, as distinct from estimated, receipts.

(grammar) A verbal construction or form stating something is possible or probable.

Presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible;

Existing in possibility, not in actuality.

Taking place in reality; not pretended or imitated;

(archaic) Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result

Being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something;

(physics) A potential field is an irrotational (static) field.

Of the nature of fact; having actual existence;

(physics) A potential flow is an irrotational flow.

Existing in fact whether with lawful authority or not;

(grammar) Referring to a verbal construction of form stating something is possible or probable.

Being or existing at the present moment;

Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential.

Existing in possibility, not in actuality.

Anything that may be possible; a possibility; potentially.

In the theory of gravitation, or of other forces acting in space, a function of the rectangular coordinates which determine the position of a point, such that its differential coefficients with respect to the coördinates are equal to the components of the force at the point considered; - also called potential function, or force function. It is called also Newtonian potential when the force is directed to a fixed center and is inversely as the square of the distance from the center.

The energy of an electrical charge measured by its power to do work; hence, the degree of electrification as referred to some standard, as that of the earth; electro-motive force.

The inherent capacity for coming into being

The difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit expressed in volts

Existing in possibility;

Expected to become or be; in prospect;